Mets predicted to acquire $9.2M Cy Young winner, Rookie of the Year to join Freddy Peralta originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Mets are doing everything possible to ensure that the 2026 season doesn’t repeat the disappointments of 2025. While the team got off to a hot start last year, by season’s end, playoff hopes had completely vanished.

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“The New York Mets, losers of six straight, are down 6-0 and facing Jacob deGrom. Since starting 45-24 and owning the best record in MLB, the Mets are 31-47, better than only the Rockies, Twins and Nationals. This isn’t a collapse. It’s a disintegration,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan posted.

The offseason started slow for New York, but things picked up after a blockbuster trade. The Mets acquired Freddy Peralta, the NL wins leader in 2025.

“The New York Mets’ winterlong pursuit of a front-line starting pitcher ended late Wednesday when they acquired All-Star Freddy Peralta, as well as fellow right-hander Tobias Myers, from the Milwaukee Brewers for Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams, two of their top prospects,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo wrote.

The Mets might not be finished yet, as FanSided’s Jake Elman believes a trade for Paul Skenes could be on the horizon.

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“The Mets play in Pittsburgh from Aug. 7–9, so with Pirates fans’ luck, this would be one of those ‘you know, you look familiar’ instances. We’ll see whether Carson Benge, who opened the season as the Mets’ starting right fielder, is even available by the deadline. However, pitcher Jonah Tong and outfielder A.J. Ewing are both considered top-100 prospects, and the Mets’ championship window might be closing. Owner Steve Cohen and lead executive David Stearns are already under a microscope, and a Skenes trade would simultaneously relieve that tension and create an entirely new set of expectations,” Elman wrote.

Skenes, who received a $9.2M signing bonus when he signed his rookie contract, has been nothing short of dominant since arriving in Pittsburgh.

The Mets are steadily building a formidable rotation, and adding Skenes would make it even more dangerous. A 1-2 punch of Peralta and Skenes could be lethal, not just in the NL, but across the entire league.

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